Corset



(ModeL) M. R. BORTREB.

CORSET.

Patented May 19 N. PETERS, PholwLvihogmphnn Washington. 0.13.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE R. BORTREE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CORSET.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318.344, dated May 19,1885.

Application filed January 31, 1883.

T 0 all whom it" may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAURIoE R. BORIREE, of the city of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in corsets; and the object is toconstruct the upper part of the breast-piece in such a manner that itcan be turned down out of the way when the wearer desires to wear alow-neck dress or a dress with a short or low waist, and be turned up toprevent the dress from falling in at the top of the corset.

It consists of an extension of the upper part of the breast-piece, whichextension is united to the lower part of the breast-piece by a hinge orflexible joint.

Its construction and operation areillustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of acorset constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a sidesectional view showing the extension-piece turned up, and Fig. 3 asimilar view showing the extension turned down.

In the drawings, A A represent the body of the corset, which may beconstructed in any suitable manner.

B represents thelower part of a breastpiece, and O the extension, which,with the means by which it is connected to the lower part, constitutesmy invention.

At or near the point of connection of the lower part of the breast-piecewith the extension, which point is denoted in the drawings by the letterJ, there is no boning, and thus the absence of stiffening at that pointproduces ajoint, which may be termed a flexible or a hinge joint, as itpermits the extensionpiece 0 to be folded down upon the lower part, B.

It will be seen by the drawings that the breast-piece and its extensionare so constructed, both at the point J and at the top of the extension,that whether a high or a low corset is desired the proper contour of the(Model.)

corset is preserved whether the extension is turned up or down. At thepoint D in the drawings the position of the extension-piece when foldeddown behind the lower part of the breast-piece is indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 1 and shown in Fig. 3.

As herein illustrated, the boning is continued vertically through thebreast-piece and its extension, except at their juncture. The flexiblejoint formed by the absence of boning at this point is transverse to theboning, so that when the extension is turned up it maintains firmly itsposition and contour, and when turned down to shorten the breast-pieceit fits neatly, snugly, and securely within the lower part of thebreast-piece without incommoding the wearer, but strengthening andsupporting the lower part in that position, and giving the breast-piecea nice full form.

It is obvious that both parts of the breastpiece may be varied in size;that they may be made in one or in several pieces; that the joint may bemade flexible by other means than by the absence of boning, and thatother variations in form or construction may be had. without departingfrom my invention.

The essential part of my invention, and what I claim, is

1. In a corset the breastpiece of which is stiffened by vertical boning,an upper extension of the breast-piece connected to the lower part by aflexible joint formed transversely to the vertical boning, substantiallyas described. 2. As a new manufacture, a corset having breast-piecesprovided with vertical bones in the extension above the top line of thecorset, and adapted to fold below or extend above said top line by meansof a flexible joint, which separates said vertical bones from the lowerpart of said breast-pieces, substantially as described.

MAURICE R. BORTREE.

Vitnesses:

MORTON GULVER, S. P. DOUTHART.

